The Painless Way to Inject Your Horse - for you and for him/her

Why I'll Never Inject my Horse in the Neck again.

Did you know a 15hh horse can pick up a grown man and throw him twenty metres, if the horse so desires?

Couple this power with a terrified dislike of jabs in the neck and there's going to be trouble.

My Neddy -boy
Ned hates needles. Rouge (a pony I had years ago) hated needles. They both behave the same way. Barging, flicking their neck, using all their power to break free. Never kicking or biting, but squishing, barging, and running.

Ned is a powerful boy.

One day our vet (years ago) became so tired of Rouge squishing him in the stable he said, 'Right, saddle him up.' We were astonished but had a great deal of respect for our vet.

Mr Blackmore (yes, Mister!) jumped on Rouge (not an easy ride), allowed him to jig-jog in circles, reached back and whacked the needle in his rump. Rouge swished his tail and lifted one leg a little higher, then carried on jig-jogging in a circle.

We were amazed.

Ned likes a good scratch - he trusts me not to hurt him.

Thirty years later, I can inject three of our boys (Noel does some, I do some) and we all cope. But not Ned. I've spent ages pinching his neck, showing him the syringe, faking injections.

He tenses.

The white of his eyes show.

He barges.

He is terrified and hard to keep hold of - Ned is powerful but would never intentionally hurt us.

Yes, I could strap up legs, twitch him and lock him in a hold and terrify him even further - but I choose not to for both our sakes.

I've been thinking about Mr Blackmore and Rouge and discussed the idea with a few horsey friends who were suitably horrified. Noel gave me a look as if to say, 'You are an utter lunatic!'

I put the idea away until today. Yesterday the needle jumped out of Ned's neck as he fearfully swung his head until it could no longer hold. He was hurt, betrayed, and extremely unhappy. So was I.

Noel was shaken, he gave the jab and the kerfuffle and Ned's utter fear of Noel after the deed really upset him.

Ned is the most intelligent horse I've had the honour to welcome into our family.

So, today I cleaned Ned's rump, marked the spot, jumped on board, rode him for five minutes so we both relaxed (just along a short, level track).

'Okay just hold his head in case he pig-routes,' I said to Noel.

I swung around, confidently plunged the needle in - Ned did the tiniest flinch - I took a breath, and slowly injected the liquid with no pain, worry, fear or look of betrayal. He didn't know it happened.

I walked him for a few more minutes - gave him a big pat, jumped off and he showed no fear or upset towards me in the slightest.
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I am not recommending everyone try this - this worked for us. There are downsides, if Ned gets an abscess it is not in a great place to drain. But that is a risk I am prepared to take, it is far worse seeing the fear in his eyes and the pain I know he feels in the neck. Rump injections are not as painful as neck ones- and Ned has just proved this.

(BTW - the others take a jab the neck fine and I am happy to do it this way as they are happy.)

And you should know that Noel distracted Ned a little and gave him a carrot and Ned does relax when I am on-board - all these factors helped.

All of us - we no longer fear the needle!